Behold Your SAVIOR: Your Identity is in Him

Are you struggling with looking to the world for your identity? Are you consumed with what other’s think and say about you?

If so, You are not alone. Looking to the world for identity has been an area where the Lord has had to continually work on my heart over the years.

We look for our identity in so many things of this world: people, positions, the past, work, looks etc. Yet, these things will always fall short. Looking for our identity in anything or anyone apart from Christ will always enslave us (Romans 6:17-18).

The Root Problem

Do not lose heart, there is freedom from this bondage (Romans 6:20-23).

In order to walk in the freedom that Christ has given us in Him, we must address what is at the root of looking to the world for our identity.

When we are looking to the world for our identity we are essentially fearing man. We are fearing things like being rejected, exposed, hurt and denied.

Now lets go a little deeper to get to the root of our fear. Behind every fear is a desire for something. For example a fear of rejection is driven by a desire for approval. When we desire something above God, we will look for a solution apart from God (Romans 1:22-23, James 1:14-15; James 4:1-4).

Therefore, when we are looking to the world for our identity, we are essentially fearing others and desiring something from them.

Addressing the Root Problem

We do not have to stay in this fear. We can minimize our focus on what people think of us and maximize our focus on what God says to be true of us (1Corinthians 4:3-4). When we focus our thoughts on the Lord, this helps us to fear Him above all else.

The Lord can also change our desires. He can give us a greater desire for Him above anything else. When we delight in the Lord instead of the world, our desires will be aligned with His desires (Psalm 37:4).

As soon as the Lord convicts your heart of looking to the world for your identity, repent and ask the Lord to help you fear and desire Him above all else. The lifestyle of a Christian is one marked by repentance. When you confess your sins He is faithful and righteous to forgive you of your sins and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Therefore, do not be dismayed when you find yourself looking to the world for your identity, but instead come to Him in repentance and look to Him for growth.

Your Identity in Christ

The world will tell you to believe that you are enough. However, we still fail to feel like we are enough or doing enough. Why is that?

It is because we will never be enough, Scripture tells us that we fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). That before Christ rescued us we were dead in our trespasses and sins - we could do nothing to please God (Ephesians 2:4-5, Hebrews 11:6). Yet, the beauty of the gospel is that though we fall short because of sin, Christ has set us free and He is enough. He has set us free from the condemnation of sin and death (Romans 6:23). He has set us free from every failure and every shame. He has made us new creatures in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The world will tell you that your identity is based on you - what you do, how you look, how successful you are, how much you achieve, how healthy you are, how talented you are etc.

but God…

He tells you that your identity is in Jesus Christ alone. In Christ, you are declared legally righteous, restored to a right relationship with God, chosen and beloved of God.

In Christ, your identity is in His righteousness.

Walking in Your Identity in Christ

In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin and the world.

In order to no longer look to the world for our identity, we must seek to grow in our fear of the Lord and our desire for the Lord. For when we are fearing and desiring the Lord above all else, we will look to Him alone for our identity. No matter what the world says about us we will know that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38).

Jesus was rejected and hated by the world. He lived a humble life (Philippians 2:5-8). He gave His life for the sake of sinners (Romans 5:8). He was despised and forsaken by men (Isaiah 53:3-6).

When we are following after God, we will not fit into this world; Jesus tells us that the world hated Him and will hate us too (John 15:18). Yet, our hope is not in what this world thinks of us or how much we can accomplish - our hope is in what Jesus Christ has done for us.

We can rest in Him, knowing that He is our worth.

Just at the Apostle Paul, we can count all else as loss (every accomplishment and every failure) because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:7-9).

So sister, when you are struggling with looking to the world for your identity, look to Him. Behold your Savior.

To Live

  • Answer the following question: In what ways have I been looking to the world for my identity? Be specific.

  • Pray: Repent and ask the Lord to help you desire and fear Him above all else.

  • Read: Psalm 139 & Psalm 34

To Listen

*this article was originally posted on Kindred Soul Counseling

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Wandering Heart, God Want’s You to RETURN

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Keep Your Eyes on What GOD Has Done